BATON ROUGE – During a special meeting of the LSU Board of Supervisors on June 19, the board approved a cooperative endeavor agreement relating to the Bogalusa Medical Center and heard an update on the Transition Advisory Team progress.

A cooperative endeavor agreement among the Board of Supervisors of LSU, Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System or its affiliates, the State of Louisiana through the Division of Administration, the Louisiana Division of Administration, and the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals relating to Bogalusa Medical Center was discussed and approved.

According to the Bogalusa Medical Center public/private partnership executive summary, the public purpose sought through this cooperative endeavor is to prevent further loss of care for the vulnerable and needy patients who are uninsured, represent high-risk Medicaid and are inmates under the care of the state incarcerated in Washington Parish. In addition, the cooperative endeavor seeks to stabilize and assure a sustainable graduate medical education program that provides the bulk of the state’s healthcare workforce.

A number of board members said they were pleased with the public/private agreements with local providers that provide better health care services with better equipment, improve efficiencies and offer more health care opportunities to the citizens of the state.

Ronald Anderson, member of the LSU Board of Supervisors, said that he’s really pleased and proud of what the team working on these agreements is doing.

Scott Ballard, member of the LSU Board of Supervisors, said, “There’s no question this gives our customers, which are the people of Louisiana, better health care.”

Bobby Yarborough, chairman-elect of the LSU Board of Supervisors, provided the chairman’s report and gave an update on the Transition Advisory Team.

The Transition Advisory Team has completed its series of initial meetings, hearing testimony and research and is now organizing priority inputs for LSU’s transformation. The board anticipates the team will present about 20 priority recommendations for review at the next board meeting on July 26.

The meeting concluded with a special thanks to William Jenkins for coming out of retirement to serve as interim LSU president and chancellor. Jenkins is returning to retirement, and this was his last board meeting.